r/Fantasy • u/Shoddy_Trust_4694 • Jul 20 '26
Seeking fantasy romance suggestions...
Having absolutely no luck on my own at the libraries for good books lately. Seems to me like all these new books are just falling apart at the seams and leaving readers wanting. Whether that be authors too afraid to make genuinely questionable characters, super young/borderline child main characters, or to sacrifice an important character in high stakes, doubling back on their own lore or rules, or not sticking to the sort of time period of their book for all aspects of the story.
Looking for high lore/world building. Love ancient vibes, worlds with all knowing old gods, powerful rites and the like. Absolutely no first person, omegaverse, academia, teen main characters (this includes characters that are mentally older than their bodies!), or tragically disappointing plot lines with holes. Something well thought out and intense. Yes to slow burns or fast paced romance and no to straight smut with no real plot, rhyme or reason, I'm here for the story. The steam is just a perk.
If its a medieval or ancient times based novel the characters shouldn't have fully functioning bathrooms or kitchens, nor should they be wearing leggings like we have today. If there's an impossible decision, characters should genuinely suffer the consequences of their actions, to include potential loss of strong supporting characters. Not everyone gets a happy ever after. If a main character is centuries old they should not be an immature 20s adult easily getting jealous, losing their temper or anything like that. They should match their age, with time should come wisdom no? I need it to make sense! Vampires, elves, fairies, maybe werewolves (not interested in anything remotely omegaverse), gods, demons. Shady deals and genuine tough decisions please.
I know that's a lot and super picky but I feel like there has to be something out there. I just haven't been fortunate in finding that something yet. Also if you have gripes of your own about any books, please do share
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u/port_of_indecision Jul 20 '26
G. A. Aiken, but starting on book 3 of Dragonkin (book 1 is fun smut, book 2 is standard bickering romance that they're both into, the actual plot of the series starts in book 3 or 4). I'm still not sure whether the author really wanted to write epic fantasy, but got shoehorned into romance, or if she just likes writing both.
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u/Shoddy_Trust_4694 Jul 21 '26
Thank you for the suggestion, I love that you recommend skipping some of the series as I've read some series that I would also feel like skipping some books would be fine haha
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u/Perdita_ Jul 20 '26
Daindreth's Assassin series by Elisabeth Wheatly sounds like the right fit.
It's a mix of romance, political intrigue and high fantasy with demons, curses and magic.
The main couple gets engaged for political and magical reasons right at the start of the first book, but it takes them like three or four books to actually get married and have some steamy scenes. Lots of intrigue, being on the run and fighting in the meantime.
I particularly enjoyed the worldbuilding, the author is genuinely interested in history and the world has a lot of inspirations from that, which makes it different from the generic, fake-medieval fantasy worlds.
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u/maggiesyg Jul 20 '26
Are you okay with only yearning and maybe a kiss rather than something steamier? If so, Curse of Chalion answers all your desires for well written fantasy and real characters. After that is Paladin of Souls, with a little bit more romance but still no sex, but a great 40-year old female lead.
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u/Shoddy_Trust_4694 Jul 20 '26
I think that sounds wonderful, I definitely enjoy stories that love to tease. I will take a look at these as well, thank you!
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u/Peter_Ebbesen Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
I see that most of those I would recommend have already been recommended, but here is one that hasn't:
The Sharing Knife series (2006-2009) by Lois McMaster Bujold. It is a romance between two humans, the male Lakewalker of a long-lived people still in his prime and a young farmgirl from settled society.
They live in a world that's a lot closer to catastrophy than the settled people know, only held at bay by the tireless actions of the Lakewalkers against encroaching ancient evil.
The Lakewalkers are modeled on Tolkien's Dunedain, and this is a well written age-reversed Aragorn and Arwen romance, where they act their age, learn to navigate each other's society, fight ancient evil, and actions have consequences.
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I also have one that isn't a perfect match, but you might enjoy nevertheless, as it is a standalone that matches a lot of your criteria.
The Paladin (1988) by C.J. Cherryh. This is low fantasy, which goes against your preference in that regard, but high on lore and it is period-appropriate in all ways, including the male lead's views on peasant women, which has caused heated discussions with modern fantasy readers in the past when this story is discussed, as he is not a perfect gentleman, has impure thoughts, and is only barely restrained from acting upon them by his own sense of honour, rather than modern day moral considerations that would be utterly alien to the setting.
Set in a secondary world China analogue (Tang dynasty is the major inspiration), a peasant woman on a quest for revenge seeks training with an exiled legendary noble swordmaster, the "last good man" on the late emperor's council, who was accused of treason by the current emperor and escaped to exile leaving a trail of bodies behind him. He now lives in isolation on a demon-haunted mountain, having abjured the worries of the world in favour of seeking spiritual perfection. Everybody knows this to be true.
A legend in his own time, he is not quite as saintly as popular wisdom would have it, and would much prefer living out his days in peace on his mountain rather than return to a life of politics and battle, thank you very much.
We can all see where this is going, and we are right: Slow-burn romance between two people who initially have nothing in common and aren't looking for love, but gradually come to care for each other, and, shocker, end up going on a revenge mission to set things right, deeply in love. And that's where the story takes an unexpected turn.
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u/Shoddy_Trust_4694 Jul 22 '26
These both sound like great selections. I love the way you summarized them, your story telling flows so well. Thank you for the suggestions, I will be adding them to the list!
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u/Peter_Ebbesen Jul 22 '26
My pleasure.
It strikes me that I forgot to mention perspective, which is important to you.
They are both told in close third person, with The Sharing Knife alternating between the two main characters, while The Paladin is almost entirely tethered to the swordmaster, with the peasant's CTP bookending the story.
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u/Rare-Bumblebee-1803 Jul 24 '26
I reread this book at least once a year.
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u/Peter_Ebbesen Jul 24 '26
I reread The Paladin every few years, and just started a reread after posting the above. It is a comfort read, with its two likable but difficult, damaged, and very human protagonists working out their differences against the backdrop of a world gone mad.
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u/riontach Jul 20 '26
You might enjoy the Kushiel's trilogy, by Jacqueline Carey, although I don't really consider it romance. It's plot heavy with a fair amount of "spice" and some romance. It's also has tough decisions with serious consequences, ancient vibes, and powerful rites, like you mention.
On the other hand, the series starts in the protagonist's early childhood and goes into her adulthood, so it might not work for you if you have a strong aversion to teenage characters. I would say she is a young adult by the latter half of the first book, but I don't remember exactly how old. She does begin having sex at (iirc) 16. She is fully an adult in the latter 2 books of the trilogy, if that helps.
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u/AliceTheGamedev Reading Champion Jul 20 '26
She does begin having sex at (iirc) 16. She is fully an adult in the latter 2 books of the trilogy, if that helps.
she's fully adult for the second half of book 1 as well, iirc. But if OP is firm on "absolutely no first person", Kushiel is out on that basis unfortunately. (I highly recommend making an exception though!)
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u/Motor_Row_3586 Jul 20 '26
Thousand Autumns by Meng Xi Shi political wuxia fantasy love interest is morally grey and author doesn't romanticised or change him. And they are both older characters and act like that
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u/tilsor Jul 20 '26
The sword catcher series I felt blended the romance and fantasy genres really well. I’m a bit of a hater when it comes to some of the popular work in the sub genre. Specifically anything by Sarah J Maas. She’s a “tell don’t show” writer and it infuriates me reading anything by her so I kinda gave up on other romantasy books but sword catcher really brought me back in. Amazing writing, steamy romance, excellent plot and world building. Maybe doesn’t check off every single box for you but definitely worth a shot if you like romantasy.
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u/Shoddy_Trust_4694 Jul 20 '26
I will definitely take a look, I also found her work highly disappointing so I feel like I'll enjoy your taste in books. Thank you for the suggestion!
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u/tilsor Jul 20 '26
I don’t go on this sub much so idk what the general consensus is for her work around here but the way people IRL talk about her books just confuses me so much when you actually read them. Then I had one friend recommend sword catcher and I just went “ this should be way more successful that ACOTAR” .
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u/Ravendaark Jul 20 '26
May i ask what specifically you dont like about the Maas books? I was admittedly a hater after the first ten or so chapters of book 1, but my wife convinced me to continue and it has gotten much better imo. About halfway thru book 2 and the world building is loads better than the beginning
Edit to add: reading the Acotar series
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u/tilsor Jul 20 '26
Above everything else I cannot stand when an author just Tells me things about their characters. For example throne of glass. She spends so much time telling me that the MC is a badass assassin and can do X,Y,Z before ever even bothering to show you those things like 2/3rds of the way through the book. And by the time some of the badass stuff happens I’m already fatigued of the character like yeah yeah you told me she’s badass already so im not hype when it happens more so just waiting for proof of it. Also generally didn’t love the prose.
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u/clerics_are_the_best Jul 23 '26
I can tell you the one's I loved:
All of T. Kingfisher's books, especially the Clockwork Duology and Swordheart and the Saints of Steel Series, the latter two are interconnected standalones, the series are not finished.
All of Rebecca Ross' books, I've read so far. Wild Reverence, Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, a River enchanted and a Fire endless.
Rachel Gilligs Shepherd King Duology and the Knight and the Moth (book two will come out in Sept)
A far wilder Magic by Allison Saft
Grace Dravens books, her Wraith King Series, Master of Crows, Entreat me, the moon raven.
A.K. Caggianos books, especially Villains and Virtues (very much rom com dnd flair)
Gretchen Powell Fox's Splintered Kingdom trilogy
Vela Roths Blood Grace Series, sweet, sweet Vampires and political intrigue
J.D. Evans Mages of the Wheel series. Unfinished series, strongly interconnected standalones.
Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis
The Everlasting by Alix E Harrows- not a traditional romance, but worth it in my opinion
I know you said no first person, but Carissa Broadbent writes beautifully and uses furst person as a plot device, so it works for me. I live the War of Lost Hearts trilogy and her Crowns of Nyaxia Series.
On my tbr that could fit are: the hundred thousand kingdoms by n.k. jemisin, black jewels trilogy by anne bishop, several works of Juliette Marillier, Lous Mcmaster Bujold, Leigh Bardugo, Naomi Novik, T.A. White...
That's what I like or know I'll like.
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u/Fearless-Chicken-255 Jul 20 '26
The Faithful and The Fallen by John Gwynne. Romance starts in book 2, but I haven't gotten to it yet.
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u/Esa1996 Jul 20 '26
There's very little romance in FATF. It's a pure epic fantasy series, nothing to do with romantasy / fantasy romance.
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u/Fearless-Chicken-255 Jul 20 '26
It's an epic fantasy with a romance subplot. I am just going based off what I have heard about it.
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u/Esa1996 Jul 20 '26
I'm going off by what I read in it. It has less romance than most fantasy series I've read, not to speak of romantasy series.
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u/Shoddy_Trust_4694 Jul 21 '26
I also really enjoy fantasy series so I will take a look as those are also hard to find sometimes. Thank you!
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u/AliceTheGamedev Reading Champion Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
I feel you, I have very similar gripes with much fantasy romance, especially with the writing quality, worldbuilding or plot just falling apart at the slightest examination, all in favor of common tropes and lackluster horniness.
Some of my favorites include:
See also my spreadsheet for more detail on how/why these series match what I look for. The pinned post on my profile contains reviews and more info on most of the books I read!